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Guidelines for Digital Syllabi
(with some reference to other digital handouts)

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Another note: For basic information about UCA web policies (including how to set up a faculty web account), see the Office of Web Development at http://www.uca.edu/divisions/advance/webdev/.

The provost has established the following guidelines for digital syllabi.

  1. A digital syllabus may be used. Certain information must, however, be distributed to every member of the class in hard copy:
    1. Indentifying and contact information to include the following: course prefix, number, and title; meeting time and place; instructor name, contact information, and office hours
    2. Grading policy
    3. Attendance policy
    4. Required compliance notices (e.g., ADA)
    5. Location of digital syllabus information
    The hard copy may of course duplicate information also included in the digital syllabus; between the hard copy and the digital, in any case, students must receive all the information required in a traditional syllabus. See Syllabi.htm for a list of required information.
  2. The digital syllabus information must be made available in a file format accessible to all members of the class. Recommended file formats: HTML, PDF. Other formats may be used if accessibility can be assured.
  3. The digital syllabus information must be available at a location accessible to all students in the course. Recommended: a WWW location. If a compelling reason exists and if access for all students can be assured, digital handouts may be distributed on CD-ROM or other media. Such media must be made freely available just as paper handouts would be made available.
  4. The distribution of digital materials must comply with copyright law. This is an issue of considerable complexity, and not all wide-spread and long-standing assumptions about copyright law and its exceptions are valid. If in doubt, consult the university's attorney.

If you have questions or concerns, please e-mail Jonathan Glenn

Originally posted: 2002-08-19